Harvester with topper and ejector



Feb. 3, 1948. HALL HARVESTER WITH TOPPER AND EJEGTOR Filed Oct. 2 6} 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 Z 4 m 5 1|. a 1.7 2 j 7. O. 1 a Z U a a j w Feb. 3, 1948.

H. E. HALL HARVESTER WITH TOPPER AND EJEGTOR Filed Oct. 26, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 3, 1948. H. E, HALL 2,435,350

HARVESTER WITH TOPPER AND EJECTOR Filed Oct. 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet, 3

THE-i5 3 t j HOWAEDEHALL 6' 36 in J6 Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARVESTER WITH TOPPER AND EJECTOR Howard E. Hall, Boise, Idaho, assignor to J. A. Terteling & Sons, Boise, Idaho, a partnership consisting of J. W. Terteling and N. L. Terteling Application October 26, 1944, Serial No. 560,412

Claims. 1

The instant invention relates to harvesters and more particularly to an ejector device for beet harvesters and the like.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the construction of an improved ejector mechanism capable of effectively preventing the accumulation of the leaves as the same are severed from the beets in the ground, thereby preventing clogging and stoppage of the severing discs, as well as protecting the lifting device for the beets which follows the severing discs.

Still a further aim is the making of an ejector mechanism of the type specified which transfers the topped beet leaves to one side of the beet harvester or the like or deposits said leaves onto a conveyor to be transferred either to a windrow or direct to a truck or other vehicle.

Yet another purpose is the fabrication of an ejector mechanism embodying as one of its features a rubber tired or similar wheel, either power or frictionally driven, in which the contact between the severing disc and tire is either spring or gravity held.

A yet further object is the construction of an ejector device which in addition to disposing of the beet leaves or tops acts as a cleaning means serving to maintain the cutting disc free and clear of soil, mud or other obstructing material.

The above and other aims and objects will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter appearing when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved ejector mechanism forming part of a beet harvester, and showing beets being topped and the leaves or tops being transferred to a conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the ejector mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and showing in dotted lines how the ejector wheel may move with respect to the cutting disc;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the ejector mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4. is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of wheel-supporting bracket;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of ejector mechanism in which the ejector wheel is positively driven;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, of the form of invention shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of a still further modified form of the invention showing a different type of positive drive for the ejector wheel;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the form of invention shown in Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the form of the invention of Figs. '7 and 8 in operation.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral I!) designates the ejector mechanism as a whole, which is shown as transferring leaves or tops L from a row of beets B to the conveyor belt C, the novel ejector mechanism l0 and the conveyor belt C all forming a part of a conventional beet harvesting or similar machine.

The ejector mechanism It! comprises a rotatable drive shaft driven in any suitable manner by the harvester operating mechanism, said shaft having a hollow, cylindrical, non-rotating sleeve or housing I2 coextensive therewith. A thin, circular disc 13, which may be fiat but is preferably concavo-convex as shown and having a cutting edge I4, is fixed at the center l5 of its concave side 16 to the lower end I! of drive shaft I i, whereby the disc is rotated by said shaft.

A cylindrical, frustro-conical or similar annular hollow housing I8 is rigidly secured to the concave side It of the disc l3 for rotation therewith for a purpose to be referred to hereinafter. Fastened to non-rotatable sleeve I2 within hous- "ig I8 is a substantially rectangular stationary bearing block it A U-shaped bracket 20 is pivotally secured to bearing block l8 at one end thereof as at [8 by means of a transverse bolt E9 or the like acting as a fulcrum. A wheel-supporting bracket 2! is attached at 22 to U-bracket 253, the former having an upwardly extendingarm 23, a curved connecting portion 24 and a short arm 25 projecting downwardly from portion 24 exteriorly of housing I8. Secured to the end of short arm 25 as at 2i is a stub axle 26, said axle rotatably supporting a wheel 28, the rim 29 of which carries a conventional cushion rubber, pneumatic or similar type of resilient tire 3E3. Fastened to long arm 23 is a, hook 3| and a simi ar hook 32 is fastened to sleeve [2. A tensioning spring 33 is secured at its end to said hooks as will be clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Spring 33 serves to maintain frictional contact between tire 3i) and disc l3 whereby the wheel 28 is rotated upon rotation of the shaft H and said disc. The action of the ejector mechanism ill will now be apparent. As the harvester moves through the field being harvested, the rotating cutting disc l3 will top the rows of beets B and the leaves or tops L will be efficiently transferred by wheel 23 to its tire 30 to conveyor C or the like. At the same time the cutting disc is kept clean of mud and dirt and the spring 33 maintains proper frictional contact between the tire and is connected to the stub axle 26 at point 21?. interiorly of wheel 28 in lieu of exteriorly as in: the form of the invention illustrated in Figs-1,,

2 and 3.

Turning now to the form of? the; invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thereference numeral; Hi

designates the drive shaft, l 2' the sleeve, [3"tl1'e stood that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment shown as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is contemplated to cover all such and to be limited in this respect only as may be necessary by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1: An ejector mechanismfor a; beet harvester or the like comprising a rotatable shaft,a cutting disc secured to the end of said shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary sleeve surrounding said shafisa supportpivotally secured to said sleeve adjacent said shaft end, a rubber tired wheel rotatably mounted on said support, and spring means connecting said support and sleeve for resiliently holding said wheel in contact with the cutting disc, l8 the housingg'all as in the precedZ- ing figures of the drawing. However, in thismodified construction a pair of spaced bracket memwheel stubaxle z't journaled adjacent the lower ends thereof, saidaxle carrying a pneumatic or like tired wheel 28 A sprocket 41 is bolted to the outer extremities of stub axle 26 sprockets '38 and 41 being operatively joined by endless sprocket chain 42; It will now" be seen that rotation of sheave 3T will through shaft 36; sprockets 38 and M- produce'positive rotationof wheel 28 thus replacing; rotation through frictional contact as inFigs, I 120 4, inclusive.

A final modified" formof the invention is illustrated in Figs. 7, 8-and'9. Here again the reference characters I designate the rotatable shaft,

t2 stationary sleeve, f3 cutting disc, f8 housing,

21- wheel-supporti'ng bracket, pneumatic or like fire rotatable ona stub shaft 26 Keyed to shaft H for rotationtherewith-is a. sheave or pulle 58, while stationaryfsleeve l2 mounts. a triangular supporting bracket 5i having a bearing 52 at-theapex thereof; A short shaft 53'is journaked in bearing 52, one end of the shaft: having apul-ley keyed-thereto, while the other end of shaft 53 is secured to a telescopically adjustable drive shaft 55as -by a universaljoint 56. Drive shaft 55' has a seconduniversal joint 51 forattaclnnentto a second short shaft 58, the latter having agear 59-me5hlng with a gear 60 fixed to stubshaft 2 6, said gears being encased ingear housing 6|; An endless belt 62 connects-sheaves or pulleys 50 and 54; It-will now be appreciated that'thisform ofthe' invention combines both the frictional and positive drives for the ejector wheel shown inthe previous-figures of the drawing and heretofore described. 7

From the above it will be seen that there has been provided anejector mechanism well adapted toperform its intended function and in which the ejector wheel may be either-frictionally or positively driven or both. It will be further underinner-face of Said. disc.

2..An ejector mechanism for a beet harvester or the like comprising arotatable shaft, a cutting disc secured to the end of the shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary sleeve surrounding said shaft, a support pivotallysecured to said sleeve adjacent said shaft end, a rubber tired wheel mounted on; said support and rotatably resting on said disc, and means carried by said sleeve to positively drive said wheel.

3*. An: ejector mechanism for a beet harvester or the like comprising a rotatable shaft, a cutting discsecured to the end of the shaft for rotation therewith, a stationary sleeve surrounding said shaft, a support pivotally secured to said sleeve adjacent said shaft end, 'a. rubber tired wheel mounted on said. support, spring means: connecting said support and sleeve, and means carried by. saidsleeve to: positively drive said. wheel.

4. The structure of claim 2', said drive means comprising a pulley secured to said rotatable shaft, a second. pulley carried by said support, a belt connecting said pulleys, and shafts having universal joints connecting said support pulley to said, wheel. a

5. Thestructure; of claim 3, saiddrive means comprising a pulley secured to said rotatable shaft, a second pulley carried by said support, a belt connecting said pulleys, and shafts-having universal joints connecting'said support pulley to said wheel.

HOWARD E. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V V r UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date Re. 12,708 Heilig Oct. 29,1907 1,480,270 Kopitke Jan. 8, 1924 1,635,494- Moreau July 12, 1927 2,102,379 Nutter Dec. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number A Country Date 20,152 Czechoslovakia Nov. 25,1926 

